Dishwashing apparatus including a flip-top solid detergent dispenser

• US 4,836,229 A
• Filed: 12/22/1988
• Issued: 06/06/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Lakhan, Haresh C., Switala, Lawrence W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hornsby, Harvey C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gerrity, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/290,885
• Time in Patent Office: 166 Days
• Field of Search: 34/56 D, 34/93, 34/95, 34/98-102, 34/104.4, 34/111, 68/18 F, 137/268, 222/52, 222/67, 222/185, 222/190, 210/167
• US Class Current: 134/93
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0081 with vertical sliding closing doors, e.g. hood-type dishwashers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4208 Arrangements to prevent clogging of the filters, e.g. self-cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4436 in the form of a detergent solution made by gradually dissolving a powder detergent cake or a solid detergent block

Abstract

A dishwashing apparatus designed in such a manner as to have one incoming waterline and self cleaning filters. Solid additive sources are situated in containers mounted on top of the dishwashing apparatus and fed with water by means of a pump. A flip-top solid detergent dispenser comprising a base having a funnel-shaped interior, a nozzle positioned within the interior of the base, and a detergent container support connected by a hinge to the base can be mounted on the dishwashing apparatus. The detergent container support is designed to hold only a particular shaped detergent container and to prevent dripping of detergent solution upon the user. A circular metallic ring having a plurality of holes is situated around the funnel-shaped interior of the base. Water is flushed through the holes of the circular metallic ring at designated times to purge one of the filters of air and to insure that the detergent is rinsed down through the funnel-shaped interior of the base.

Claims

1. A dishwashing apparatus comprising:

(a) a first water access means having a valve and a vacuum breaker, said water access means leading into;

(b) a main container, said main container having a means to access said main container in order to insert and remove dishware, and a sump with a bottom portion, said sump situated in a bottom portion of said main container wherein water and debris can collect in said sump;

(c) a first nozzle positioned within said main container in a manner such that pressurized water directed through said first nozzle would serve to contact dishware contained in said main container;

(d) a self cleaning first filter wherein said self cleaning first filter comprises a perforated cylindrical filter encased in a cylindrical metal casing having an open top portion and an open bottom portion wherein said top portion of said self cleaning first filter is attached top said bottom portion of said sump in a manner which would allow the flow of water and debris from said sump into said first filter by gravity and would allow the flow of water across said perforated cylindrical filter when access from said bottom portion of said first filter is closed by means of a drain valve;

(e) a drain valve attached to the bottom portion of said self cleaning first filter wherein said drain valve when opened would allow the downward flow of water and debris out through the bottom portion of said self cleaning first filter in order to empty said dishwasher apparatus of all water and debris contained therein;

(f) a main pump connected to said self cleaning first filter by;

(g) a second water access means wherein water which has collected in said sump can be pumped by said main pump through said perforated cylindrical filter and through said second water access means;

(h) a third water access means leading from said main pump to said first nozzle and also to a second self cleaning filter, wherein said second self cleaning filter is designed such that water and debris can flow by gravity through said third water access means into said main container when said main pump is deactivated;

(d) a fourth water access means having a valve and extending from said second self cleaning filter and leading to a second nozzle positioned in a solid additive container;

said second nozzle positioned such that pressurized water directed through said second nozzle would spray against a solid additive contained in said solid additive container in order to form an additive solution; and

(j) a fifth water access means leading from said solid additive container into said main container in order to allow the flow of additive solution into said main container.

2. The dishwashing apparatus of claim 1, which further comprises a water overflow control means.

3. A dishwashing apparatus comprising:

(a) a first water access means having a valve and a vacuum breaker, said water access means leading into;

(b) a main container, said main container having a means to access said main container in order to insert and remove dishware, a sump situated in a bottom portion of said main container wherein water and debris can collect in said sump and a water overflow control means;

(c) a first nozzle positioned within said main container in a manner such that pressurized water directed through said first nozzle would serve to contact dishware contained in said main container;

(d) a self-cleaning first filter wherein said self cleaning filter is attached to a bottom portion of said sump in a manner which would allow the flow of all water and debris from said sump into said first filter by gravity wherein said self cleaning first filter comprises a perforated cylindrical filter encased in the cylindrical metal casing having a top portion and bottom portion wherein said top portion of said self cleaning first filter is attached to the bottom portion of said sump;

(e) a drain valve attached to the bottom portion of said first filter wherein said drain valve when opened would allow the downward flow of water and debris out through the self cleaning first filter in order to empty said dishwasher apparatus of all water and debris contained therein;

(f) a main pump connected to said self cleaning first filter by;

(g) a second water access means wherein water which has collected in said sump can be pumped by said main pump through said perforated cylindrical filter and through said seconds water access means;

(h) a third access means leading from said main pump to said first nozzle and also to a second self cleaning filter wherein said second self cleaning filter is designed such that water and debris can flow by gravity through said third water access means into said main container when said main pump is deactivated;

(i) a fourth water access means extending from said second filter and leading into a fifth and sixth separate water access means, each separate water access means having a valve;

said fifth water access means leading into a detergent holder, said detergent holder attached to said main container, said fifth separate water access means leading to a second nozzle located in the interior of said detergent holder positioned such that pressurized water directed through said second nozzle would spray against a detergent source contained in said detergent holder in a solid detergent container having an opening through wich water can spray in order to form a detergent solution, and said sixth separate water access means leading to a third nozzle situated in such a manner as to facilitate contact of solid rinse aid contained in a solid rinse aid container in order to form a rinse aid solution, wherein said solid rinse aid container is attached to said main container, said third nozzle positioned such that water sprayed through said third nozzle would contact said rinse aid in order to form a rinse aid solution;

(k) a seventh water access means leading from said detergent holder into said main container in order to allow the flow of detergent solution into said main container.

4. A dishwashing apparatus comprising:

(a) a first water access means having a valve and a vacuum breaker, said water access means leading into;

(b) a main container, said main container having a means to access said main container in order to insert and remove dishware, a sump situated in a bottom portion of said main container wherein water and debris can collect in said sump and a water overflow control means;

(c) a first nozzle positioned within said main container means in a manner such that pressurized water directed through said first nozzle would serve to contact dishware contained in said main container means;

(d) a self cleaning first filter wherein said self cleaning first filter is attached to a bottom portion of said sump in a manner which would allow the flow of all water and debris from said sump into said first filter of gravity wherein said self cleaning first filter comprises a perforated cylindrical filter encased in a cylindrical metal casing having a top portion and a bottom portion wherein said top portion of said self cleaning filter is attached to said bottom portion of said sump;

(e) a drain valve attached to the bottom portion of said self cleaning first filter wherein said drain valve when opened would allow the downward flow of water and debris out through the self cleaning first filter in order to empty said dishwasher apparatus of all water and debris contained therein;

(f) a main pump connected to said self cleaning first filter by;

(g) a second water access means wherein water which is collected in said sump can be pumped by said main pump through said perforated cylindrical filter and through said water access means wherein said second water access means is attached to an external portion of said cylindrical casing;

(h) a third water access means leading from said main pump to said first nozzle and also to a second self cleaning filter wherein said second self cleaning filter is designed such that water and debris can flow by gravity through said third water access means into said main container when said main pump is deactivated;

(i) a fourth water access means extending from said second filter and leading into a fifth, sixth and seventh separate water access means, each separate water access means having a valve;

said fifth and sixth water access means leading to a detergent holder, said detergent holder attached to said main container, said detergent holder having an interior and exterior, said interior having a funnel shape, said detergent holder having a ring extending around the upper interior portion of said holder, said ring having a plurality of holes, said fifth water access means leading to said ring of said interior of said detergent holder such that water directed through said holes in said ring can flow down the sides of the funnel shaped interior of the detergent holder in order to rinse the funnel shaped interior of said detergent holder of any detergent which has splashed on the funnel shaped interior as the result of formation of detergent solution, wherein said detergent solution is formed by directing water through said sixth separate water access means leading to a second nozzle located at a bottom portion of said detergent holder positioned such that pressurized water directed through said second nozzle would spray against a detergent source contained in a solid detergent container positioned within said detergent holder above said second nozzle, wherein said solid detergent container has an opening through which water can spray in order to form a detergent solution, and said seventh separate water access means leading to a third nozzle situated in such a manner as to facilitate contact of a solid rinse aid collected in a solid rinse aid container . said solid rinse aid container means connected to said main container, said third nozzle positioned such that water sprayed through said third nozzle means would contact said rinse aid in order to form a rinse aid solution;

(j) an eighth water access means leading from said rinse aid container into said main container in order to allow the flow of rinse aid solution into said main container; and

(k) a ninth water access means leading from said detergent holder into said main container in order to allow the flow of detergent solution into said main container.